All about hope in ’13

When things go badly, itís natural to hope for something better. Well aware of the power of hope, politicians prefer to base their campaign strategies on it. They try to persuade voters that casting a ballot for them is their best hope for a splendid future. That is certainly easier than offering a thoughtful agenda for improvement.

President Obama got elected twice through the politics of hope, and so did Deval Patrick and others. While Iím not running for anything, I thought it might be timely to express hope for some changes that could make things a little better in the new year.

Letís hope the last two digits in 2013 wonít be seen as bad luck. Personally, Iím not superstitious (I own a black cat by the name of Cole), but I know some people who wouldnít get off the elevator on the 13th floor, and go into a panic if they break a mirror. Good or bad things happen in any year, but letís hope the good outweighs the bad in 2013.

Letís hope the White House and congressional leaders wonít subject the country to another fiscal cliff or any other artificially created crisis designed to instill fear and serve political agendas. Itís a shocking display of irresponsibility unworthy of leaders who were elected to represent our interests.

Letís hope that rather than practicing economic brinksmanship, those in charge will concentrate on long-range planning to replace the habit of borrowing, spending and taxing with a policy of restraint, spending cuts, deficit reduction and curbing runaway entitlements. What this country needs is fiscal responsibility instead of fiscal cliffs.

Letís hope the dynamics of dysfunction change in Washington, and a modicum of reason replaces discord and avarice. Letís hope our leaders learn the value of working together for the common good and realize the harm mindless partisan bickering can inflict.

Letís hope civility in general gains better acceptance in society. It would be nice to see courtesy and cordiality replace rudeness, and to have more respect for each other and our institutions. Tolerance can go a long way, and a pat on the back is more effective than a chip on the shoulder.

Letís hope the Newtown elementary school tragedy finally persuades authorities to come to grips with the danger of our Wild West-style gun culture and put in place reasonable measures to control the proliferation of assault weapons and ammunition without taking away constitutional rights many Americans hold dear to their hearts.

Letís hope the president and Congress will see the wisdom of crafting long-overdue immigration reform that halts the influx of illegal arrivals across the borders, and a national policy that provides acceptable resolution, short of wholesale amnesty, of the status of millions of undocumented residents and their children who live and work in the United States. Itís time for a cohesive national policy to replace a patchwork of often conflicting rules and regulations that only create confusion.

Letís hope 2013 will see the end of the long and useless war in Afghanistan, and that weíll bring home American fighting men and women who have been in harmís way far too long.

Letís hope Americaís leading role around the world remains firm and decisive, protecting our allies and interests while holding our adversaries at bay.

Letís hope the special election to fill the vacant U.S. Senate seat, which promises to be the main event in Massachusetts politics this year, will focus on issues and substance rather than producing an avalanche of lies and distortions like the one that characterized last yearís bitter contest between Elizabeth Warren and Scott Brown.

Letís hope Ed Markey, a 36-year veteran of Congress and a consummate Washington insider the Democrats have anointed as their candidate, will have a formidable opponent, because the last thing we need in the Senate is another left-leaning liberal. Unless Bill Weld can be persuaded to run, Scott Brown deserves another chance. But he should run a stronger and smarter campaign than last time.

Letís hope municipal elections in Worcester will not usher in the usual silly season for local politics during which city councilors and school board members, desperate to hang on to their seats, say and do just about anything to get re-elected.

Letís hope City Manager Mike OíBrien was right when he said 2013 is ďgoing to be our best year.Ē

Letís hope more people will realize how incorrect political correctness can be.

Letís hope television will offer new shows that are slightly above the average intelligence of a baboon.

Letís hope the makers of packaging, medicine bottles, food jars and other containers will give us products that can be opened without a wrench, jackhammer or dynamite.

Letís hope for a ban on such clichťs as ďstep up to the plate,Ē ďthink outside the box,Ē ďtakes a village to raise a child,Ē ďsinging off the same sheet,Ē and ďrun it up the flagpole.Ē The same applies to stakeholder, outreach, closure, profiling, conflict-resolution, grief counselor, re-purposing, ideation and internalizing. It should be remembered that a ďstakeholder communityĒ is not a village in Transylvania.

Letís hope our readers will enjoy a healthy, happy and prosperous 2013, and that those who have made resolutions will remember to keep at least some of them.